Dosa – The Indian Pancake
A classic Indian dish, dosas are thin, crisp savory pancakes from southern India that are made with a fermented rice and lentil batter. The batter is made by soaking raw rice and lentils before blending them into a paste and fermenting it. This substantial part of the South Indian diet has made its way into exclusive menus, upscale restaurants and undergone makeovers everywhere from street corners to high end eateries all over the globe. It can be made soft or crispy according to one’s own preference. Traditionally, dosas are served with at least two or more chutneys and a bowl of searing-hot sambar - a lentil and vegetable stew.
While the dosa buzz around the globe is recent, dosas have been a part of south Indian cooking since the 5th century AD. It is believed that this Indian pancake was found initially in the Temple streets of Udipi, Karnataka and mentioned as early as the sixth century A.D. where Chalukya King Somesvara III first referenced Dosa in Tamil literature in 1054 AD.
Dosa is largely preferred by vegetarians and those with wheat allergies. Since the South Indian dish is prepared using rice it is high in carbohydrates, gluten free and low in calories. Dosa is also a probiotic food that is delicious yet light, and popular among diet conscious people and those with digestion problems. It is also a good source of protein.
It’s uncharted as to how many varieties of dosas actually exist today, with its evolution over time and the experimentation being restricted only by the maker’s preference, pallet and even imagination!
The humble dosa has now been given a makeover to be served as crispy pyramids or long, neat rolls with its most trusted sidekicks, the chutney and the sambar.
This pure comfort food is a must try at Aahaar served with coconut chutney and sambar, that will satisfy your palate.
